Mechanical oil pressure control apparatus for antilock brake system

Abstract

A mechanical oil pressure control apparatus for an antilock brake system including a recessed first body having an oil inlet passage communicating with a master cylinder and an oil outlet passage communicating with a wheel cylinder, a hollow second body threadedly coupled to a front end of the first body, a cylinder member sealably inserted into the first body to define an oil chamber communicating with the oil inlet and outlet passages, a piston slidably fitted in the cylinder member while being subjected to an oil pressure supplied from the master cylinder and exerted in the oil chamber in such a fashion that it slides axially in the oil chamber between a front position where the oil chamber is allowed to communicate with both the oil inlet and outlet passages and a rear position where the communication of the oil chamber with the oil outlet passage is cut off, a compression coil spring received in the second body and adapted to always urge the piston toward the front position against the oil pressure exerted in the oil chamber; and a spring force adjusting bolt threadedly fitted in the second body and adapted to adjust a spring force of the compression coil spring. The spring force is adjusted such that the oil pressure at the point of time established when the piston reaches the rear position substantially corresponds to a brake lock point of the antilock brake system.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A mechanical oil pressure control apparatus for an antilock brake system of a vehicle arranged between a master cylinder and a wheel cylinder both included in the antilock brake system and adapted to control an oil pressure transmitted from the master cylinder to the wheel cylinder comprising: 
       a first body defined with a recess therein, the first body also having an oil inlet passage communicating with the master cylinder and an oil outlet passage communicating with the wheel cylinder;  
       a hollow second body threadedly coupled to a front end of the first body;  
       a cylinder member sealably inserted into the recess of the first body to define an oil chamber communicating with the oil inlet and outlet passages of the first body;  
       a piston slidably fitted in the cylinder member while being subjected to an oil pressure supplied from the master cylinder and exerted in the oil chamber in such a fashion that a font end thereof slides axially in the oil chamber between a front position where the oil chamber is allowed to communicate with both the oil inlet and outlet passages and a rear position where the communication of the oil chamber with the oil outlet passage is cut off, wherein the cylinder member has a stepped cylindrical inner surface increasing in diameter in a stepped fashion as it extends toward a front end of the cylindrical member, the stepped cylindrical inner surface having a front inner surface portion having a largest diameter, an intermediate inner surface portion having a diameter smaller than that of the front inner surface portion, and a rear inner surface portion having a smallest diameter, the rear inner surface portion of the cylinder member having a diameter substantially identical to that of the piston to allow the piston to be sealably fitted in the cylinder member at the rear inner surface portion; and  
       means for always urging the piston to move toward the front position against the oil pressure exerted in the oil chamber, the urging force of the urging means being adjusted in such a fashion that the oil pressure established at the point of time when the piston reaches the rear position substantially corresponds to a brake lock point of the antilock brake system.  
     
     
       2. The mechanical oil pressure control apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       a packing member fitted around the piston and adapted to come into contact with a step defined between the front and intermediate inner surface portions of the cylinder member when the piston reaches the rear position, thereby stopping the piston at the rear position while cutting off the communication of the oil chamber with the oil outlet passage.  
     
     
       3. The mechanical oil pressure control apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the cylinder member is provided, at a portion thereof corresponding to the intermediate inner surface portion, with an oil outlet communicating the oil chamber with the oil outlet passage. 
     
     
       4. The mechanical oil pressure control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the urging means comprises: 
       a compression coil spring received in the second body and adapted to always urge the piston toward the front position against the oil pressure exerted in the oil chamber; and  
       a spring force adjusting bolt threadedly fitted in the second body and adapted to adjust a spring force of the compression coil spring in accordance with a fastening or loosening operation thereof.